April
19, 2006 — A NOAA research vessel
powered by soybeans, the first modern U.S. research vessel to operate
free of petroleum products, was given an award by the Department
of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program during an Earth Day
Week event on the shores of Lake Michigan. (Click NOAA image
for larger view of poster showing NOAA’s research vessels powered
by soybeans recognized by the Department of Energy's Federal Energy
Management Program. Click
here for high resolution version. Please credit “NOAA.”)

"NOAA
has a commitment to stewardship of the environment, and this research
vessel, the R/V Huron Explorer, demonstrates that commitment in very
practical ways. Environmentally friendly vessels are better suited to
tread lightly on the ecosystems they help research," said Stephen
B. Brandt, NOAA acting deputy assistant administrator for oceanic
and atmospheric research.

The "You
Have the Power" campaign helps federal agencies reach their energy-saving
goals by raising awareness about energy efficiency at federal facilities.
The federal government can encourage wise energy use, while simultaneously
protecting the environment and conserving natural resources.

The other
two ships, including the 67-foot Shenehon,
which is one of the oldest in the NOAA fleet, use some non-petroleum
products. The Shenehon began its use of B100 biodiesel in 2000 and was
dubbed the "french fry" ship by some. It showed immediate
reductions in visible emissions, smoke and offensive odor, with unchanged
performance of the main engine or generators. The use of B100 was a
significant achievement in demonstrating soy oil as an alternative fuel
in marine applications. B20, a 20 percent blend of soy oil with petroleum
diesel, has been in use for a number of years in road vehicles, such
as cars, buses and trucks.

GLERL's
Ship Operations Group, headed by Dennis
Donahue, expanded the use of bio-hydraulic oil on the Laurentian,
an 80-foot research vessel built in 1974. All systems using the bio-hydraulic
oil performed satisfactorily without change to pump or equipment performance
while contributing to improved onboard storage and reduced inventory.

In August
2005, the Huron Explorer completed its transformation from petroleum
products to biofuels and lubricants by incorporating rapeseed-based
hydraulic oil for its deck crane, winches, transmission and steering
gear, and 100 percent soy biodiesel for engine fuel and canola-based
motor oil.

"We
saw dramatic reductions in emissions and improvements to the original
1974 engines in wet exhaust odor and pollution," Donahue said.
"The biodegradable vegetable oils offer an additional level of
environmental protection in case of a spill or leak."

Donahue
added that the switch to agri-products has improved the work environment
of the ships' crews and scientists.

"These
ships have become real-world field studies that can be used to expand
field test data and support other ship conversions," said Donahue.
Other NOAA boat operations and some private vessels are implementing
similar bio-product conversions based upon experiences at GLERL.

GLERL plans
to convert the Shenehon's remaining systems to agri-products this year
and the Laurentian is slated to convert to B100 biodiesel in 2007, making
all three of the ships 100 percent petroleum-free.

NOAA, an
agency of the U.S. Department of
Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national
safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related
events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal
and marine resources.

Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS),
NOAA is working with its federal partners, 61 countries and the European
Commission to develop a global network that is as integrated as the
planet it observes, predicts and protects.